What’s The Fastest Plane In The World? You’ll Be Surprised (And Not Just At How Fast It Is)

Advertisement

Let’s face it, you don’t have to be a certified pilot to find planes fascinating. Even commercial airliners are fantastically high-tech pieces of machinery.

That being said, the planes on this list are far from your average everyday passenger jet; they are the fastest planes in the world.

F-117 Nighthawk

This super-speedy stealth aircraft may only hold one passenger, but they were built to pack a punch. Lockheed developed the plane for their Skunk Works division in 1981. It can reach speeds of up to 617 MPH!

B-2 Spirit

You may know the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit by its street name: the Stealth Bomber. This highly-destructive bomber was developed under the Carter administration. It tops out at 628 MPH!

F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is not just one plane, but actually an entire series of stealth fighters designed to travel light and endure all conditions. It can reach speeds just shy of 1,200 MPH!

Convair F-106

The Convair F-106 Delta Dart carried United States Air Force officers throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. It was the last interceptor ever reserved by the Air Force, and can reach a speed of 1,555 MPH.

Sukhoi PAK FAT-50

Boasting one seat, two engines, and whole lotta speed, the Sukhoi PAK FAT-50 was the first fighter jet Russia ever developed to use stealth capabilities. It can hit Mach 3.5!

F-4 Phantom

With a top speed of just under 1,500 mph, the appropriately-named F-4 Phantom had a reputation throughout the Vietnam War for being the most deadly fighter jet around.

F-111 Aardvark

The F-111 wasn’t just any aircraft; it was an ultra-fast tactical strike plane built to hit speeds of over 1,650 miles per hour.

F-15 Eagle

In 1967, McDonnell Douglas launched what would become one of the most durable fighter jets of all time: the F-15 Eagle. Its top speed? 1,650 mph.

Mikoyan Ye-152

With a top speed 0f 1,666 miles per hour, the Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-150 lives up to its wicked reputation. This fighter was originally designed by the Soviet Union in 1955.

Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound

Unlike other jets on this list, the Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound is quite large. With a respectable speed of 932 MPH and a 13-hour round-the-world time, its size doesn’t hold it back.

XB-70 Valkyrie

Fun fact: the gigantic six-engine XB-70 Valkyrie was actually initially built as a prototype should we ever need a nuclear-equipped bomber jet. It can scoot over 2,000 MPH!

Bell X-2 Starbuster

Fitting to its name, the Bell X-2 Starbuster was a rocket-powered research plane developed by the U.S. Air Force to investigate aerodynamic issues. it can reach speeds of 2,094 MPH.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat

Reaching supersonic speeds of over 2,100 miles per hour, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat is one of the fastest military aircrafts ever put in use.

SR-71 Blackbird

In the 1960s, Lockheed developed the SR-71 Blackbird as part of a highly-classified, Cold War-era project. It can reach speeds of over 2,500 mph.

X-15

In the 1960s, NASA and the United States Air Force teamed up to create the X-15; a rocket-powered experimental plane with a top speed of 4,520 mph.

Boeing X-51

In many ways, the futuristic Boeing X-51 High Speed Strike Weapon is a normal fighter jet. The one exception? It doesn’t require a pilot. Without all that extra weight, it can hit speeds in excess of 3,800 MPH.

X43A Scramjet

Developed through NASA’s Hyper-X program, the X-43 is a high-tech pilotless experimental jet that reaches speeds of nearly 7,500 miles per hour.

X-41

With a face-meltingly fast top speed of over 13,000 mph, this classified U.S. military space plane could travel around the world in just two hours.

Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker

Built specifically to compete with some of the United States’ most tricked-out fighters, the Su-27 Flanker boasts a top speed of over 1,500 miles per hour.

NASA Space Shuttle

You probably already familiar with the space shuttle, but are you familiar with its record-breaking speeds? Travelling at 17,500 mph, it can circle the world in just 1.4 hours.